Friday, 05 May 2006

Puzzling questions on Cinco de Mayo

It is Cinco de Mayo and I am asking myself a few questions about America, about assimilitation, which is a work I don't like (I prefer the word integration) , and identity.

I wonder what it means to be an American and if it is possible to become an American without giving your past identity and without renouncing your roots. I think that it is, but more people seem not to think so.

I also wonder the American identity has the right to change and to evolve. I believe that a lot of the immigration debate is in fact about that question that is about whether people who were not born American have the right to change this country.

I may be wrong, but I strongly suspect that there is somewhat a racial element to this debate in the sense that most of the new immigrants are non white, speak spanish and are becoming a powerful force in America. The question is is their power legitimate and do they have the right to make their mark on America?

Comments

Re: #3 - No, obviously that 'power' is as illegitimate as is one's illegal status. Perhaps I am merely spoiled, but I do feel that when I check into a hotel or I'm shopping for whatever, there is a reasonably good anticipated ability to communicate with those whom my patronage pays his or her check. So, language is an issue - call me ethnocentric... The huge numbers illegally entering the US is an issue - El Presidente "The Fox" could care less; he wants them gone... North Korea has little or no problem with immigration; it's funny how well those mine fields and soldiers armed with weapons work so well! No, I'm not a big advocate of minefields in the US, but I want the flow stopped at all costs. Some may die, but we have our own poverty to deal with and medical/dental insurance needs. Appalachia has the poorest people in this country. We can't afford to make a single county pay $12 million to provide medical care for illegals every year. Women shouldn't be allowed to travel here for any reason in their third trimester of pregnancy. It's ludicrous to me that I pay more for college tuition than a non-citizen - WTF, over?!?!?
I never claimed to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but come on...
Michael